As the glittering promise of the New Year approaches, millions pause to reflect and set intentions for the year ahead. Though it can feel like you can’t sip a holiday cocktail or sample an hors d'oeuvre without someone asking about your resolution, few Americans take the practice seriously. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that only a third of Americans made at least one resolution. Among them, health topped the list, followed by finances, personal relationships, and work.
The most interesting revelation? Resolutions are largely a young person’s game. Nearly half of adults aged 18 to 29 said they made at least one resolution in 2024, but this number drops sharply with age. About a third of those aged 30 to 49 reported making one, and only 21% of adults 50 and older made a promise for the new year.
Do twenty-somethings have a monopoly on hope?
Perhaps seasoned adults have felt the sting of unmet resolutions and now avoid failure by not setting them at all. Researchers estimate that only about 25% of resolution-makers are still committed by the end of January. While this may free up treadmills at the gym come February, it’s a sobering success rate. As we mature, we realize transformation doesn’t come with the turn of a calendar page. Real change is built by slowly establishing habits and achieving small, incremental successes that reaffirm our goals.
Despite the data—and our own skepticism—the New Year remains a time for reflection and renewal. My discomfort with resolutions often clashes with the hope I feel every January. A perpetual Pollyanna, I cherish looking back on the previous year’s accomplishments and dreaming about what’s to come, yet I bristle at the idea of rigid resolutions. With life’s responsibilities and stresses, resolutions can feel like just one more burden to bear.
It’s time to reframe resolutions.
Your resolutions shouldn’t tell you what you can’t do—they should remind you of what you can. Instead of making promises rooted in restriction—spending less, eating less, doing less—set intentions that promote growth and joy.
Here are three ways to shift your perspective:
Theme Your Year
Build your year around a guiding theme that shapes your choices. You might seek a Balanced 2026, cultivating equilibrium between work, relationships, and rest. Or center your year around Service, using your time and talents to make a positive difference.
Annual Bucket List
Swap a to-do list for a “to-experience” list. As you reflect on 2025, jot down the people, places, and things you’d like to explore. Learn a skill, take a class, or plan that long-awaited trip. Create a roadmap for 2026 that feels expansive and joyful.
Twelve New Things
Commit to trying one new thing each month. Enter the year with a “yes” mindset and step out of your comfort zone. Try a new restaurant, explore a hobby, or make a new friend. Keep a list and celebrate your progress at year’s end.
As the year turns, skip the restrictions and focus on curiosity, growth, and joy. Meaningful change isn’t about doing more or being better—it’s about living with intention.
Here’s to a 2026 filled with progress, perspective, and possibility.
Your resolutions shouldn’t tell you what you can’t do—they should remind you of what you can. Instead of making promises rooted in restriction—spending less, eating less, doing less—set intentions that promote growth and joy.